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Epiphany Season · Third Sunday after the Epiphany · Year C

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

One Body with Many Members

January 23, 2028

Communion of the Apostles (Cell 35), Fra Angelico
Communion of the Apostles (Cell 35), Fra Angelico, c. 1440–1442Museum of San Marco, Florence
A fresco in a friar's cell at San Marco. The apostles kneel in a line and receive one by one, with the room painted as plainly as the cell it is in.We were all baptised into one body, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.Fra AngelicoA Dominican friar who painted, canonised in 1982, whose work was made for the cells and corridors his brothers lived in.Museum of San Marco, FlorenceThe Dominican friary where Fra Angelico painted a fresco in every cell, left in place, so the pictures are still in the rooms they were made for.Museum of San Marco, Florence
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelLuke 4:14-21Lk 4:14-21
Epistle1 Cor. 12:12-31a1 Cor 12:12-31a
Old TestamentNeh. 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10Neh 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
PsalterPs. 19Ps 19

Overview & Insights

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Paul compares the church to a human body in which many different parts, each necessary and honored, work together as one. He teaches that God arranged the members so weaker and less presentable parts receive greater care, and that suffering or honor for one member affects the whole.

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Take it further: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Commentary

Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:12-31aCommentary on 1 Cor 12:12-31a Working Preacher

A Luther Seminary commentary on the body metaphor as Paul's answer to Corinthian division.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a Commentary1 Cor 12:12-31a Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

A Reformed preaching commentary applying Paul's one body teaching to the church's present divisions.

1 Corinthians 12 Commentary1 Cor 12 Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

A verse by verse evangelical commentary on spiritual gifts and the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12 Commentary1 Cor 12 Commentary Precept Austin

A deep study page gathering Greek word studies, cross references, and many expositors on 1 Corinthians 12.

Classic commentaries on 1 Corinthians 12Classic commentaries on 1 Cor 12 BibleHub

A classic aggregator stacking Barnes, Gill, Ellicott, and other historic commentators verse by verse.

Background & Word Study

Overview: 1 CorinthiansOverview: 1 Cor BibleProject

An animated overview of 1 Corinthians' design, framing Paul's teaching on the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12 interlinear1 Cor 12 interlinear BibleHub

The Greek text of 1 Corinthians 12 word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers.

The Church Fathers

1 Corinthians 12, patristic commentary1 Cor 12, patristic commentary Catena

A verse linked catena gathering patristic comment on 1 Corinthians 12.

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